About 2 million people die annually from contaminated food and water, typically in areas which suffer from food insecurity. Aflatoxin may cause 30% of liver cancer cases globally each year from spoiled crops. Around 100 million tons of food are wasted annually in the EU, enough to feed the hungry in the world two times over. The "four pillars” of food security are the availability of food, access to populations, the stability of food sources over time and utilization. Utilization includes metabolism/nutrition as well as food safety and sanitation. Food safety can be impacted by ways of processing and preparing of food, linked to sanitation that can determine the likelihood of contamination sources. Associated with food safety is adequate health care and education for individuals to make informed safe food choices. However, food safety has rarely been a priority in international discussions on food security, partly because the disciplines involved in policy discussion do not always intersect. The FAO has highlighted the need for policies and strategies to ensure not only adequate food but safe food and is collaborating with the organizers to formulate approaches to the symposium. Speakers will address the global situation from UN and industry perspectives, as well as a more detailed discussion on issues facing Africa, and allow for audience interaction to a panel. Addressing food safety to achieve food and nutrition security should lead to the improved safety of foods in domestic supply chains, and the safety of foods distributed through emergency food aid programs.

Presentations